Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-06-24
The Late william A. wheeler.
~webb" in the Boston JournalJ

noted for "love OF freedom, love or knoWl-
edge and the fear of God" His grand
father Wheeler stood by the "Massachu-
sets rebels" in the first Concord fight
His maternal grandfather, William Wood
ward, was soldier all through the Revo-
luton. The family of his father came
from Massachusetts, and that of his moth
err from Connecticut. Mr.. Wheeler him
self was born in Vermont. In speech at
Montpelier, soon after he was nominated
for the vice presidency, he said : 81 have
Vermont blood in my veins and Vermont
ideas in my head. My father was High
gate man and my mother a Castletou wo-
man, and in my early days | lived in the
town of Fairfax, where, under the shad
ow of old Fletcher mountain, | learned
from a valued uncle, in the intervals of
the toll, which was the common lot of
almost all men in those days, those les
sons which only the true New Highlander
could inculcate."
At the age of 10 he entered the Univer-
sity of Vermont with a capital of $50,
which friend who took pride in him had
loaned him. He was compelled to be alb
sent much TO increase his slender capital,
and finally after two years of study, dur
| ing which he became conspicuous for his
energy and rapid advance in scholarship,
he was compelled to leave college on &C
count of an affection of the eyes But he
continued a student all his life, and his
speeches were those of cultivated man.
HIS LIFE AT WASHINGTON.
The "glare and glitter of life" at the
national capital, or ''the Establishments
and hollow arts of its society,"" never did
efface the simple tastes and early habits
which he had learned from New England
pioneers. His life at the national capital
! ci Ia laft bar
of brick or marble to mark the fortune
which he had accumulated during pub
lie career, or to represent the economies
which he had effected on small salary
He always lived in boarding houses or in
hotels. Even when he was elected vice
president he did not materially change the
methods of his life. Then, not long a
widower he moved from the boarding
house, which was sorrowful spot for
him on account of the recent death of his
wife, and took rooms at the Riggs House,
which he occupied until the end of his
vice presidential term.
| A woman writer who boarded at the
same house at the time Mr.. Wheeler was
nominated gives the following touching
sketch of his domestic life there:
HE is devout commitment of the
New York avenue Presbyterian church
here, man of 81 years, and of quiet, rug
ged strength of character. He represents
to my mind more Of the ideal traits of
George Washington than any other man
OF the century. In the midst of heated
| Cong ressional debate he always sits calm
and self-poised in the familiar relations
of home life in a crowded boarding house,
where | have known him month after
month, he presiding at the table next our
own, | doubt if any one has ever seen a
| flaw in his character.
| "At Mrs. Wheeler's obseQules Mr. RAM
dali stood by with tears in his eyes, and
Senators Conkling and Herman, by their
special request, were placed upon the list
OF pail bearers. | never knew man
more thoroughly unambitious of Office
| than he, or more adverse to ordinary news
paper mention. 1t is by the solicitation of
prominent republican friends that he has
consented at all to this national use of his
name. He will accept the trust as duty
to be gravely and conscientiously under
taken and those who know him best know
best how unsought and uncoveted it was,
yet how high is his Difference for the voice
and mandate of the people.
If | were to recall in detail the most
vivid memories of the past season in con-
nection with himself and dear Mrs.
Wheeler, it would be an occasional after
dinner hour in Mrs. Logan's parlor, lis
tening to her kindly chat, and now and
then pausng to hear the sweet melody of
those household hymns we all love so
well, floating down from their parlor
above us, where Mrs. Wheeler would be
sitting at some light, dainty feminine
work, and her rich voice would half un.
consciously begin
"Shall we gather at the river"
or other kindred strain and Mr.. Wheeler,
pausing at his busy writing desk, would
always join in with his deep, clear bass,
giving an unconscious impression of do
nestle harmony and worship that were a
part of our household riches in this great,
busy caravansary. When the news of the
ice-presidential choice came to our group
last night, clustered in the cheerful pub
lie parlors of the house, while the hun
dred guns were booming from Judiciary
square, there was the silence of mo-
her gentle eyes, said Dear Mrs. Wheel
er IL she could only be with us now ,
and the stiffness that followed was as
touching and sacred as prayer"
PERSONAL APPEARANCE.
Mr.. Wheeler in personal appearance, as
he looked when last in Washington, be-
fore illness had made such havoc with his
constitution, was man above middle
stature, with a strong, we'll balanced,
round head, sitting firmly upon fleshy
neck, smooth face clear complexion,
although tending then somewhat to sal
lowness, clear-cut features, somewhat
Puritanical and severe in the rigidity of
their outline small gray eyes, set far
back in their sockets a round, retreating
and not very high forehead pretty full
head of hair, never dark, streaked with
locks of silver gray. He had the appear
ance of a comfortable, well-to-do Quaker,
whom in the simplicity of dress and in
general characteristics he much resem-
bled
In Washington it was his custom to
worship every Sunday morning in the
New York avenue Presbyterian church.
This is as plain and Puritanical in it's APP
pearance as Mr.. Wheeler himself. AT that
time Associate Justice Strong of the
United States Supreme Court was one of
its deaconS.
Mr.. Wheeler at times, beneath his stern
exterior manifested a sense of humor.
He had very modest estimate OF the
office of vice president, and during the
period that he held it used often to say
that Benjamin Franklin was one of the
few men who had a just conception of the
Importance of that office During the de-
bate in the convention called to frame the
constitution Franklin said, regarding the
title OF the vice president, that he ought
| l@a inh